In addition to being critically acclaimed, Netflix's She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, an animated take on the He-Man universe, has earned a reputation for social progressivism, particularly in its positive representation of LGBTQ relationships in children's media. For its upcoming fourth season, which debuts on November 5, She-Ra is adding a regular non-binary character to the crew, voiced by non-binary actor, writer, and activist Jacob Tobia (Transparent).
Tobia made the announcement on Netflix's LGBTQ-focused Instagram account, @Prism. They stated that "having non-binary representation in animated shows for young folks is just so vital because young people today are already understanding that gender is diverse and a broad spectrum from a super early age. It’s about time that the shows that we’re making for young people reflect the world as they understand it." The children are indeed our future, and it's downright inspiring to hear Tobia and the rest of the She-Ra team's focus on making their future -- and frankly their present -- as bright and encompassing as possible.
As reported by Deadline, Tobia's character is Double Trouble, a non-binary shape-shifting mercenary who can "magically transform themselves into any person they see and has a soul of a thespian, spending hours in 'character study' trying to perfectly mimic their target." Or, as Tobia puts it cheekily in their video: "Functionally, I'm playing myself." Double Trouble looks to be as fun and infectious as the rest of the show's characters, and Tobia joins an already sterling cast including Aimee Carrero, Karen Fukuhara, AJ Michalka, Genesis Rodriguez, Sandra Oh, and Geena Davis. Tobia is especially excited to join a fantasy series, stating that "Fantasy has always been so vital to me because as a non-binary person, it’s a way of escaping the confines of the world we live in. It’s the way of building other realities and imagining the world as it could be, not as it is." Sounds to us like Tobia is doing their part to ensure the world can be as open as our imaginations.
To check out Tobia's Double Trouble, watch season 4 of She-Ra and the Princesses of Power on Netflix November 5. Check out Tobia's Instagram announcement below, followed by a synopsis of She-Ra's fourth season. For more on She-Ra, here's our interview with showrunner Noelle Stevenson.
As the Horde makes advances on the Rebellion under the looming threat of Horde Prime’s arrival, the Princess Alliance makes heroic strides but begins to disagree on the best way to defend Etheria. Ultimately, a shocking discovery about Etheria itself causes Adora to reconsider everything she thought she knew.